《爱莲说节选》周敦颐 （1017-1073） 布面多种材料 91 x 732cm  2021

“Ode to the Lotus,” (excerpt) by Zhou Dunyi （1017-1073）Multimedia on canvas. 91 x 732cm (36 X 288in)  2021

水陸草木之花, 可愛者甚蕃。予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖，中通外直, 不蔓不枝, 香遠益清,  亭亭净植, 可遠觀而不可亵玩焉.

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水陆草木之花，可爱者甚蕃。予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香远益清，亭亭净植，可远观而不可亵玩焉。

Of the flowers of water and land, of grasses and trees, many are lovely. Yet I like only the lotus, since grows in the mud but is not dirty, is bathed in clear, rippling water but is not seductive. In the center it is open; on the outside it is straight. It neither crawls nor forks. Its fragrance spreads far, yet its purity does not fade. It grows gracefully and clean. One may view it only from afar and must not play with it.                                                                           

                                                                                    ——translated by Alan Thwaits